Although the second part of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix’s opening round likely will be delayed until June, some other participants are being slotted for the organization’s April show.

A lightweight title fight between champion Gilbert Melendez (18-2 MMA, 8-1 SF) and Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-6-2 MMA, 0-0 SF) is expected to be a featured bout at the April 9 event.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) confirmed the title fight with sources close to the event.

According to ESPN.com’s Josh Gross, the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix likely will conclude on June 18 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, not on April 9 as first planned. No host city or venue have been finalized for the April show, though sources told MMAjunkie.com Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., is a leading candidate.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has declined to comment on the event particulars, most notably the status of the of the tournament and the Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum vs. Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers opening-round matchups.

Melendez, who recently signed a new multi-year deal with Strikeforce, looks for his fifth straight win under the promotional banner. After losing his title to Josh Thomson in 2008, he defeated Rodrigo Damm for an interim title, defended the belt with a victory over Mitsuhiro Ishida, unified the championships with a lopsided decision victory over Thomson, and then defended his belt this past April with a decision win over Shinya Aoki on CBS.

Kawajiri, a former Shooto champion and longtime PRIDE fighter, would make his Strikeforce debut if the title fight is signed. Long ranked among the world’s top lightweight fighters, Kawajiri has won four of his past five fights. He recently rebounded from a DREAM.15 loss to champ Aoki with a decision victory over Thomson at DREAM “Dynamite!! 2010.”

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